THE bodhran, one of Ireland's oldest products, is sided framed drum, traditionally made from goat skin and stretched over an 18 inch diameter beech frame. Literally translated from Gaelic it means "deaf" or "haunting". Theories abound about its origins. Some believe it originated in Africa and came to Ireland by way of Spain others insist it was brought to Ireland from Central Asia by Celtic migrants. That it was devised by canny Kerrymen to push up the price of goat skins isn't to be taken seriously.

The current consensus of opinion is that it originated in Ireland and evolved from a work implement to its present musical status. Though it is argued that given our history, the bodhran could also have had a role in warfare. Certainly it was used as a tray for drawing turf on the bogs and it bears a great resemblance to the trays used on farms for centuries for separating chaff from grain. It also appeared in mummers' plays and harvest festivals, adding credence to its agricultural background.

Its musical popularity started in the late 1950s around the heyday of its close relative, the tambourine, whose use is now more or less defunct. The bodhran owes its place in the traditional music of today mainly due to the work of the late Sean O'Riada and Ceoltoiri Chualann.